


Right Back At'cha

by quartetship



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Childhood Friends, M/M, first 'i love you'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 18:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7185221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartetship/pseuds/quartetship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the moment, they simply sat in silence, hand in hand, looking up at the stars. Together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right Back At'cha

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a short request by [artsmsh](http://artsmsh.tumblr.com/) \- thank you so much for the prompt!
> 
> \--

“It's freezing balls out here, I can't believe I let you talk me into this.”

Jean crossed his legs, rubbing his hands together hard to warm them before thrusting them into his pockets with a frown. Catching sight of his sour face, Marco laughed.

“It's your house, Jean. You can go back inside if you want.”

“And let you stay out here by yourself? C’mon, Marco. I'm a shitty person sometimes, but not _that_ shitty.”

Marco nodded. “Agreed.” Jean only nudged him once for agreeing, careful not to push him too hard.

They were perched atop the roof of Jean’s parents’ home, a section accessible through Jean’s own bedroom window. It was far from the first time they had sat there together; Jean and Marco had been friends since before either of them could solidly remember. It was the kind of friendship in which the other had just sort of always been there, and that night was no different.

It was winter break, during their first semester of college. Jean had given up his over pieced dreams of university life to work and go to community college, while Marco had accepted a scholarship and muddled his way through five months at the nearest state school. For two boys used to seeing each other nearly every day, the months apart had taken their toll on both Jean and Marco, and though neither of them had bothered to mention it aloud, it was a given - understood - that they were glad to finally find time just to be together again.

“So how's school been?” Jean ventured, after a few minutes of comfortable silence, under the stars. Watching the night sky together was one of his favorite pastimes with Marco, ever since they were in grade school and Marco had dragged Jean and a library book about constellations up onto his parents’ roof. They'd been looking at the pictures in the stars, ever since.

“Not great,” Marco admitted. “I actually really want to throw in the towel, now, but I'm gonna try to make it through another semester before I come back home to stay.”

“Back home to stay?” Jean asked. Marco nodded.

“To the community college. It would just be easier.”

At that, Jean wrinkled his nose. “Are you saying my school is easier just because I'm not shelling out the big bucks to rub elbows with Greek life assholes?” Immediately, Marco shook his head.

“No, no. Not at all. I just mean… With a support system. It would be easier being here with my family. With _you.”_

Caught slightly off guard, Jean blinked, wordless for a moment as he considered what Marco had said. He wanted to make a wise crack about Marco not being able to cut it in college, but something about Marco’s eyes as he turned them away to look back at the sky above them kept Jean from doing so. Instead, he told Marco the truth.

“It hasn't been that easy on my end, either. I've been doing fine with school, but… I've missed you like crazy.”

“Likewise,” Marco said without hesitation. He reached out to squeeze Jean’s shoulder, hand lingering for a few seconds before coming to rest beside Jean’s leg. Jean out his own hand beside it, purely on reflex, the urge to withdraw it again strong, once he realized what he'd done.

He didn't, though. He left his hand where it was, and bumped his shoulder against Marco’s.

“Hey, if you want, you can have my notes from my classes this semester, and next. I figure if you're gonna be going to the community school, you'll probably have to take some of the same shitty gen eds. I'll save my books for you, too.”

“Aww, that's sweet, Jean.” Marco grinned. “If I didn't know better I'd almost think you were a sweet guy.”

Jean nudged him again, harder. “Fuck you, I'm the sweetest, okay?” Marco nodded, chuckling.

“Well regardless of how obviously delusional you are, the offer is very generous. Thanks, Jean.”

“You're an ass.” Jean huffed. Marco shrugged, still smiling.

“Right back at'cha.”

Jean shook his head, a grin beginning to spread across his own face, and fondness for Marco welling in his chest. Despite their banter, it wasn't lost on Jean that Marco was spending his time home from school with _him,_ freezing on his roof with nothing to do other than stare at an eventless sky, more than content simply because Jean was beside him. Jean had always adored his best friend, but sitting beside him that night, something deeper, something _stronger_ was stirring inside him. Before he could stop himself, the whole truth was out of his mouth and hanging in the air between them.

“I love you.”

He could have played it off as entirely platonic, could have laughed it off as sarcasm. There were many escape routes Jean could've taken, but instead, he stared blankly at Marco, mouth hanging slightly open in shock as his eyes widened. Marco was quiet for a moment, then bit his lip thoughtfully, a smile forming even still.

“Right back at'cha.” He slid his hand over the back of Jean’s letting it rest there so that their fingers overlapped. Nothing more was said; Marco didn't pose any further inquiry, and Jean didn't offer any explanation. There would be time for that, later.

For the moment, they simply sat in silence, hand in hand, looking up at the stars. Together.


End file.
